United States v. James Johnson

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

United States v. James Johnson

Opinion

UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 19-6048

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff - Appellee,

v.

JAMES LARRY JOHNSON,

Defendant - Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, at Charlotte. Graham C. Mullen, Senior District Judge. (3:95-cr-00020-GCM-2; 3:16-cv- 00464-GCM)

Submitted: April 27, 2021 Decided: April 30, 2021

Before KEENAN, WYNN, and FLOYD, Circuit Judges.

Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

James Larry Johnson, Appellant Pro Se.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. PER CURIAM:

James Larry Johnson seeks to appeal the district court’s order dismissing as

untimely his

28 U.S.C. § 2255

motion. See Whiteside v. United States,

775 F.3d 180

, 182-

83 (4th Cir. 2014) (en banc) (explaining that § 2255 motions are subject to one-year statute

of limitations, running from latest of four commencement dates enumerated in

28 U.S.C. § 2255

(f)). The order is not appealable unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate

of appealability.

28 U.S.C. § 2253

(c)(1)(B). A certificate of appealability will not issue

absent “a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.”

28 U.S.C. § 2253

(c)(2). When, as here, the district court denies relief on procedural grounds, the

prisoner must demonstrate both that the dispositive procedural ruling is debatable and that

the motion states a debatable claim of the denial of a constitutional right. Gonzalez v.

Thaler,

565 U.S. 134, 140-41

(2012) (citing Slack v. McDaniel,

529 U.S. 473, 484

(2000)).

We have independently reviewed the record and conclude that Johnson has not

made the requisite showing. Accordingly, we deny a certificate of appealability and

dismiss the appeal. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions

are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the

decisional process.

DISMISSED

2

Reference

Status
Unpublished